Skip to main content

Settings

Settings is where you stop using HyperHQ like a generic install and start shaping it around your actual setup. Desktop build, full cabinet, living room box, test bench, it all gets dialed in here.

On this page​

Getting to settings​

Open Settings from the lower-left side of HyperHQ.

You'll usually spend the most time here when:

  • setting up a machine for the first time
  • moving a build to a new drive or PC
  • tuning cabinet-specific features
  • troubleshooting media, launch, plugin, or control issues

Display and video​

Display​

Display settings are mostly about making HyperHQ comfortable to use on your hardware.

Window mode​

Pick the mode that fits how you use the machine:

  • Windowed is easiest when you're doing setup work and jumping between apps.
  • Borderless fullscreen usually feels best on a desktop or TV build.
  • Fullscreen makes the most sense on a dedicated cabinet or single-purpose box.
Test risky display changes in windowed mode first

If you're trying a new screen, odd resolution, or cabinet monitor, do the first round in windowed mode. It's the easiest way to avoid getting stuck with a display you can't comfortably recover from.

Aspect ratio and readability​

Match the app to the display you're actually using.

A 16:9 monitor, a 4:3 screen, and a stretched marquee-style setup all want different choices. If themes or UI elements look off, this is one of the first places worth checking.

If you play from a distance, pay attention to font size too. What looks fine at a desk can be annoying from a cabinet control panel.

Transparency and visual tweaks​

HyperHQ also exposes some visual polish settings, including transparency-related options.

They are mostly preference choices. Good reasons to adjust them:

  • you want popups less intrusive while you work
  • you want disabled items to stand out more clearly
  • you prefer a cleaner or more layered look

If you do not have a reason to change them, defaults are usually fine.

Video​

Video-related settings are mainly about startup and media playback behavior.

Intro and outro video behavior​

If your build uses intro or outro videos, this is where you decide whether they help the experience or just slow you down.

A good rule of thumb:

  • cabinet build: short intro can add polish
  • desktop build: shorter is usually better
  • test machine: turn them off while you're iterating

If skipping is supported in your setup, keep that timing practical. A stylish intro is fun once. A long unskippable one gets old fast.

Media video quality​

HyperHQ supports multiple video quality tiers, including 1080p, 480p, and lower-bandwidth options. Your best choice depends on the machine and storage you actually have.

Use higher quality when:

  • the machine has room for it
  • the display makes the extra detail worth it
  • you care about presentation more than storage

Use smaller formats when:

  • the box is space-limited
  • the setup is mostly for play, not showpiece browsing
  • you're filling a lot of systems at once and want to keep downloads under control

If you're unsure, start in the middle. You can always refresh a favorite system at a higher quality later.

Audio​

Audio settings are simple on paper, but they make a big difference in how polished the setup feels.

UI sounds​

Some people want the classic frontend feel. Some want silence while they work. Both are reasonable.

If your build includes interface sounds or sound packs, tune them based on where the machine lives:

  • louder, punchier cues for a cabinet in a game room
  • quieter or subtler cues for a shared room or desktop setup
  • muted altogether when you're doing long setup sessions

Volume balance​

Keep your levels realistic.

A common mistake is making intro media much louder than everything else. It sounds fun until the machine boots at midnight.

If your build supports separate levels for interface audio and intro or outro media, try to keep them in the same ballpark unless you're intentionally going for that arcade attract-mode blast.

Paths and database​

This is one of the most practical parts of Settings. If HyperHQ suddenly can't find your systems, media, or supporting files, path settings are the first thing to check.

HyperSpin and media paths​

Make sure HyperHQ knows where your real files live.

That includes things like:

  • your HyperSpin folder
  • media folders
  • emulator folders
  • any custom storage locations you use for big media libraries

This is especially important if:

  • you moved the setup to another drive
  • you split ROMs and media across different disks
  • you're restoring from backups
  • you're reusing a build on new hardware
Path changes can cause a lot of fake problems

A moved folder can look like broken media, missing ROMs, or bad emulator config when it's really just one stale path. Check paths before you start deeper troubleshooting.

Database location and backups​

HyperHQ keeps its main data in a local database file and stores backup copies separately.

That matters because your database is where the setup work lives:

  • system entries
  • game entries
  • settings
  • mappings
  • preferences

Your ROMs and artwork are separate files on disk. Backing up the database protects the structure and the hours of curation.

When to make a backup​

Make a manual backup before:

  • a big import
  • major cleanup on a large library
  • testing new plugins
  • changing lots of system settings
  • moving the setup to another machine

If restore options are available in your build, use them carefully and give the setup a quick review afterward.

Wheel, overlay, and marquee options​

These settings shape the frontend experience more than most people expect.

Wheel settings​

Wheel settings are where you decide how strict or forgiving the visible game list should be.

Depending on your build, you may see options for things like hiding entries that are missing files or missing certain media.

That can be useful, but be selective.

A practical way to use wheel filters​

Early in a build:

  • keep filters loose
  • confirm ROMs launch
  • confirm media paths are correct

Later, once the setup is stable:

  • hide missing games if you want a cleaner wheel
  • hide media-poor entries if you're building a polished showcase setup
  • leave filters looser if you care more about access than presentation

If you turn strict filters on too early, you can hide half your library and make troubleshooting harder.

HyperOverlay​

HyperOverlay settings control how long overlay information stays visible when a game starts.

This is one of those features that feels minor until you use it on a cabinet with guests.

Shorter timing works well for:

  • arcade regulars
  • fast launch-and-play systems
  • setups where you already know the library well

Longer timing works well for:

  • party setups
  • mixed-system builds with lots of guests
  • games where a little context helps

Overlay settings can inherit from broader settings levels, so if a value looks different from what you expected, check whether the current game is following a higher-level setting.

Marquee settings​

If you run a secondary marquee display, this section matters a lot.

HyperHQ supports marquee behavior such as:

  • enabling marquee output
  • choosing whether marquee media is used
  • display fitting behavior
  • fallback behavior when dedicated marquee art is missing

Good marquee setup habits​

Start simple:

  • enable the marquee
  • pick the correct display
  • try dedicated marquee art first
  • only start stretching or heavily tweaking fit if the basics already work

If you do not have a complete marquee set, fallback behavior is your friend. A logo or background fallback is usually better than a blank second screen.

Logs and troubleshooting tools​

When something feels off, logs save time.

HyperHQ includes log viewing and export tools for HyperHQ and HyperSpin.

Use the logs when:

  • a system won't launch correctly
  • media downloads fail
  • a plugin refuses to start
  • controller mappings do something odd
  • HyperSpin behaves differently than HyperHQ

A simple troubleshooting flow​

  1. open logs
  2. clear the noise if needed
  3. reproduce the problem once
  4. read the newest messages first
  5. export logs if you need outside help

That beats guessing every time.

HyperSpin logging​

If your build exposes an option to enable HyperSpin logging, turn it on when you're troubleshooting launch or frontend issues, then leave it off again if you do not need the extra noise.

Controllers and keyboard​

Controls are easy to underestimate until you hand the machine to someone else and nothing is mapped the way they expect.

Controller settings​

HyperHQ supports controller detection and advanced mapping behavior, including modifier-button setups.

That makes controller settings useful for more than basic player-one mapping.

You can use them to:

  • name controllers clearly
  • keep mappings tied to a specific device
  • build alternate actions behind a modifier button
  • keep cabinet controls and handheld pads from stepping on each other

If you use more than one similar controller, give them sensible names early. That saves a lot of confusion later.

Keyboard settings​

HyperHQ supports advanced keyboard mapping, including reloadable player mappings and modifier-aware behavior.

For real-world use, that means keyboard setup is worth treating like a proper part of the build, not an afterthought.

A few good habits:

  • keep player-one keys simple
  • avoid clever layouts you'll forget in a month
  • test the full set after saving changes
  • write down unusual cabinet mappings somewhere outside the app

A few good setup patterns​

Dedicated cabinet​

A cabinet build usually wants:

  • fullscreen or cabinet-friendly display mode
  • practical intro media, not overly long
  • clean wheel filters once the library is stable
  • marquee behavior tuned early
  • controller and keyboard mappings tested from the control panel itself

Desktop or living room setup​

A desktop build usually benefits from:

  • borderless or windowed mode
  • lighter audio cues
  • looser wheel filters
  • shorter startup flow
  • simpler control mapping

Test bench or work-in-progress machine​

If the machine is still in setup mode, favor speed over polish:

  • windowed mode
  • muted audio
  • no intro or outro media
  • loose wheel filters
  • lots of backups before major changes

What's next?​

Once Settings feels right, the next useful pages are usually:

The best setup is usually the one that's easy to maintain six months later, not the one with the most boxes checked on day one.